Wired to Connect: The Neuroscience Behind High Performance at Work

Our need for social belonging is as fundamental as our need to eat or drink. Research has shown that when people feel socially rejected, the brain's physical pain centers activate - we experience it much like a physical blow. We are wired to deeply crave belonging.

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Understanding this has profound implications for leaders in the workplace. Dr. David Rock , CEO of the NeuroLeadership Institute and celebrated author, developed the #SCARF model which articulates the core social drivers behind human motivation and behavior:

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Status - The need for social standing, recognition and respect

Certainty - The need to reduce uncertainty and increase predictability

Autonomy - The need for control over choices and environment

Relatedness - The need to feel connected and cared for

Fairness - The need for equitable and unbiased exchange

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The implications of the research and SCARF model are far-reaching, especially for leaders in the workplace. When a leader satisfies these needs, feel-good reward circuits in the brain switch on. Employees experience a sense of motivation, engagement and commitment. But when the SCARF needs are threatened by uncertainty, unfairness, disconnection, or lack of control, a "fight or flight" threat response occurs. This impairs higher cognitive functions like memory, analytical thinking, insight and problem-solving.

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Understanding employees’ needs for status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness and fairness can help leaders make decisions and behave in ways that bring out the best in their people. The SCARF principles are particularly relevant when considering how to provide feedback to employees, design jobs and management mechanisms, drive change within the organization, and encourage collaboration and social connections in the workplace.

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By contrast, management actions such as micromanaging, displays of anger or disrespect, demotions, fostering competitiveness, not being transparent or forthright, and failing to create an atmosphere of psychological safety are all likely to create a “threat” response, and undermine the functioning and performance of employees and teams.

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But understanding the SCARF model and applying it in the workplace is not the sole purview of leaders and managers. Individual employees should become aware of their own emotions and reactions and understand what triggers them into an unproductive fight or flight response (when the amygdala hijacks their emotions and reactions). This is where programs like Positive Intelligence? training can make a big difference. Positive Intelligence? is a method developed by Shirzad Chamine to help individuals develop the “mental fitness” to handle challenges with positivity rather than negativity. It is a researched based methodology that has been shown to create new neural pathways that help us access the parts of our brain that drive performance, happiness, and positive relationships. It trains people to reduce their "saboteurs" - automatic negative thoughts and behaviors rooted in fear, disappointment or anger. When employees have the tools to overcome inner saboteurs, it allows their brain's reward response to flourish.

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In essence, satisfying core social motivations requires a two-pronged approach. Leaders must create an environment that meets SCARF needs. But individuals must also overcome inner threats through self-regulation. When both pillars are in place, it unlocks human potential. Employees become more engaged, creative and productive.

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The brain is wired to connect. Wise companies will satisfy this need through supportive leadership and personal development. By integrating neuroscience insights with evidence-based training like Positive Intelligence?, organizations can foster greater productivity, engagement, and collaboration among individuals and teams ready to thrive in the modern workplace. Our innate drive for social connection can transform into stellar business performance - if harnessed correctly.